1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for transmitting data in a linear-type or ring-type network. In particular, in a linear-type or ring-type network used in a local area, the present invention includes a method and an apparatus that have a RAS (Reliability Availability and Serviceability) function which adaptively switches connection paths when a failure has occurred in these networks. Further, the present invention includes a method and an apparatus that can effectively utilize transmission capacity and can realize the data communication in which the importance of real-time characteristic for transmitting an image is considered.
2. Description of the Related Art
An IP (Internet Protocol) network that can realize various data communication methods has, in general, a basic structure that is formed by a topology of a mesh structure. However, even if the IP network has the topology of the mesh structure, there are cases in which the IP network is not suitable and should not be used in view of its purpose. For example, the linear-type or ring-type network can be preferably and easily utilized as a network system that is used for mutually supervising among a plurality of checking points provided within the local area on a road or river.
There are, however, some problems in a conventional linear-type or ring-type network as explained below. That is, there are problems of effective utilization of transmission capacity, effective data transmission having good real-time characteristic, transmission efficiency when a failure has occurred, etc. These problems will be explained in detail, with reference to Figures, below.